Ilube eye drops

What are Ilube eye drops?

Ilube eye drops help with the symptoms and cause of dry eyes. If you’re struggling to produce tears, Ilube eye drops can help. They reduce the stickiness that you can get from tears, and stop the sore, gritty and painful feeling that dry eyes may trigger.

Using Ilube eye drops can also prevent complications from dry eyes like blurred vision, small tears on the cornea and eye infections. Leaving dry eyes untreated can be uncomfortable and cause future eye health problems.

How do Ilube eye drops work?

Ilube eye drops contain 5% of the active ingredient acetylcysteine. Acetylcysteine thins the mucus in the eye, working to break down sticky tears which can cause dryness. So it helps your tear production and can fix the causes of dry eyes.

They also contain a small amount of hypromellose and come as a liquid solution, which means they’re a lubricant too. So Ilube eye drops also provide immediate relief from the symptoms of dry eyes. The sore, uncomfortable feeling of dry eyes should be lessened immediately after you use the drops.

What doses of Ilube eye drops are there?

Ilube eye drops only come as a 5% solution of acetylcysteine, in a 10ml bottle. The recommended dose of Ilube eye drops is usually one to two drops in the affected eye three or four times a day. If you have symptoms in both eyes, apply them to both. How much you need to use exactly will depend on your symptoms. Our clinician will tell you how many drops you need. If you find that your dose isn’t working for you, you can log into your account and send us a message if you’re using our service. We can explore alternative treatment options with you from there.

How to use Ilube eye drops

Always use Ilube eye drops as advised by your clinician. If you have any questions, ask your clinician or message us if you’re using our service.

If you’re using it for the first time, you’ll need to attach the dropper to the bottle. To do this:

• Lift the side of the top of the bottle;
• Remove the yellow plastic disc and the attached ring;
• Take the black rubber bung away;
• Open the plastic bag and take the dropper out;
• Push the dropper onto the top of the bottle.

To use the drops:

• Wash your hands clean;
• Unscrew the cap from the top of the dropper;
• Tilt back your head;
• Put the dropper close to your eye. Don’t touch your eye or eyelids with the dropper, as you might contaminate the drops;
• Pull your lower eyelid down with a finger on your free hand;
• Press on the middle of the dropper to release the drops. Don’t do it too hard;
• Drop the directed amount of Ilube into your eye;
• Close your eye for 30 seconds.

If you’re applying Ilube drops to both eyes, repeat these steps for the other eye.

How long does it take Ilube eye drops to work?

Ilube eye drops will provide some instant relief from dry eye symptoms due to the lubricant effect. If you’re using it for acute dry eyes, you should see a major improvement within a few days. If not, go back to your clinician or message us if you’re using our service. It’s also safe and effective to use if you have a condition that causes chronic dry eyes.

Once opened, the bottle only lasts for 28 days. So make sure to buy more Ilube before it goes out of date, or sign up for our flexible subscriptions. You can choose how often you’d like to receive your eye drops from our pharmacy.

What should I do if I make a mistake when using Ilube eye drops?

If you miss your eye when you’re using Ilube eye drops, just try again. If you put more drops in than you should, close your eyes and rinse around them with clean, warm water. If you forget to use Ilube eye drops, just apply them as soon as you remember. Don’t put in more drops than usual to make up for forgetting some.

Medically reviewed by

Dr Daniel Atkinson

GP Clinical Lead

on April 26, 2022.

Meet Daniel